Bowling pin setting apparatus



Nov. 3, 1942.

J. PARRA ETAL BOWLING PIN SETTING APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTORS.

Nov. 3, 1942 J. PARRA m 2,3003% BOWLING PIN SETTING APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1942 2 Sheets -S heet 2 27 2240 1 102.; 27 )3 a l5 l3 f Z4 INVENTORS: 3? I Q n Z pl Parffd&

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Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING rm smmc ArPAnATUs Joseph Parra and William White, Newark, N. J. Application June 16, 1942 Serial No. 447,224

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pin setting apparatus for bowling alleys; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to improvements in the pin spotter carriage of pin setting apparatus' I This invention has for an object to providean improved construction of pin spotter carriage adapted to receive and position pins ready for setting, and then lower the assembled pins for deposit upon the alley in upstanding positions thereon and accurately spotted in properly grouped and mutually spaced relation ready for lay; said spotter carriage including self-ad justing picker means for picking up standing pins remaining on the alley after the first ball has been bowled, while the deadwood is being removed from the alley, and thereupon resetting such pins ready for the bowling of a second ball against the same in an attempt to knock them over and thus obtain a spare score.

In bowling a first ball against the full complement of pins, if the player fails to knock over all the pins, thus leaving one or more thereof standing so as to require a second ball to be bowled, the pins left standing are sometimes shifted out of their initially spotted positions, in which shifted positions they should remain rather than to be accurately respotted, thereby adding to the hazards of the game, and requiring greater exercise of skill by the bowler for covering and knocking over the same by the second ball bowled, whereby to obtain a spare score. Having this in view, it is a further object of this invention to provide in combination with the pin spotter carriage a novel construction and arrangement of standing pin picker devices which will automatically adjust themselves to the positions of pins left standing whatever may be the positions thereof, that is regardless of whether the same remain spotted or have been shifted out of spotted position, and which, in operation, will grasp, lift and then return said standing pins to the identical positions in which they stood after the first ball was bowled.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pin spotter carriage according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof,

taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, but drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3, these views showing the novel standing pin picker means in normal initial position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section,

takenon line 5-5 in Fig. 6, and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 5, these views showing the novel standing pin picker means as actuated to grasp a pin for lifting and subsequent return to its standing position after dead wood has been cleared from the alley.

Fig. 7 is afragmentary vertical section, taken on line 1-1 in Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are employed ceiving and holding pins deposited in the spotter carriage, subject to discharge through the drop openings II, "is provided above said top plat form or plate In. Illustratively such pin receiving and holding means may be provided by upwardly open pockets I 2 defined by framing walls l3, but it will be understood that pockets or pin ways of other form may be utilized if desired. j

Means are provided for opening and closing the pindrop openings H at proper times in accordance with operative movements of the spotter carriage. Illustratively such'means is provided by slidable shutter plates ll having openings l5,

adapted by movements of said shutter plates to be movedinto and out of registration with the pin drop openings H. Preferably these shutter plates I are aligned with rows of said pin drop openings H directed toward the rear side of the spotter carriage, and said shutter plates are slidably movable over the topsurface of the top platform or plate I0, being suitably guided,- as e. g., by ways therefor formed in and through the framing walls 13 of the pin. receiving and holding pockets I2. The rearward ends of said shutter plates I4 are coupled together by a crossbar is common thereto, so that all move together when actuated, motion being transmitted thereto by a push and pull rod I'I extending from said cross bar (see Fig. 1).

Spaced below the top platform or plate I0, in a plane parallel thereto, is a bottom plate I8, the same also having pin drop openings I8 in vertical alignment with said pin drop openings I I of the top platform or plate. S aid spaced top and bottom plates are suitably secured together, and pin passages 20 between aligned pin drop openings II and I8 thereof are formed by framing walls 2 I, or in any other suitable manner.

Mounted on the underside of said bottom plate I8, respectively in cooperation with the respec-.

tive aligned pin drop openings II and I8 and intermediate pin passages 28 are the picker devices for handling standing pins. Each said picker device comprises a pair of gripper element 22 and 28, pivotally supported at their rearward ends for swinging movement toward and from each other beneath and across the adjacent pin drop opening I8. The means for so pivoting said gripper elements may be variously formed and arranged, but preferably comprises a compound pivoting linkage formed by a fulcrum link 24, pivotally anchored by one end to the underside of said'bottom plate I8. Pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the free end of said fulcrum link 24 is a cross link '25, to the respective ends of which are pivotally connected the rear ends of the respective gripper elements 22 and 28. .Said supporting pivotal mounting for the gripper elements is offset from one side of the adjacent pin drop opening I! in transversely aligned relation thereto. Suitably afllxed to the underside of said bottom plate I8, adjacent to the opposite side of said pin drop opening I8 is an offset supporting bracket 28 adapted to underlie and support the free end portions of said gripper elements; the respective ends of said bracket serving as stops for determining the normal open or spread relation of said gripper elements, whereby the same are normally positioned respectively somewhat beyond margins of said dropv opening I8, so as to leave the same unobstructed. Pull springs 21 suitably attached to said gripper elements and anchored to the underside of said bottom plate I8, yieldably hold the gripper elements in the aforesaid normally open or spread relation (see Fig. 3). The free end portions of said gripper elements are preferably bifurcated or forked to support pulley members; one of said gripper elements, as 22, having two such pulley members. viz. an inner pulley member 28 and an outer pulley member 80, while the: other said gripper element, as 28, having a single such pulley.member 29.

In a preferred arrangement of said picker elements, the same are disposed in association with adjacent parallel rows of aligned pin drop openings I I-I 9 extending toward the rear side of said spotter carriage so that the swingable ends of the gripper element pairs serving one row of said openings are opposed to the swingable ends of the, gripper element pairs serving the other said row of openings, whereby a means for actuating the thus opposed gripper element pairs serving the respective adjacent rows of said openings may be provided in common to both (see Fig. 1)

The means for actuating the gripper element pairs serving adjacent parallel rows of pin drop openings II--I9 comprises a slide-bar 8I slidably mounted in a way 82 (see Flz- 7 Pr v in connection with the underside of said bottom plate I8, to run parallel to and intermediatesaid of the same being attached to an adjacent slide-' bar 8|. The arrangement of the pull cord or cable is such that a first course 81 passes beneath the inner pulley member 2a of the gripper element 22 to and around the pulley member 28 of the gripper element 28, whence a second course 88 passes back to the gripper element 22 and around its pulley member 88, whence a third course 89 extends and terminates in the end 88 attached to the slide bar 8| (see Figs. 3 and 5).

It will be be obvious that, when the slide-bars 8| are moved in the direction of the arrows 11 (Figs. 1 and 3), the pull cords or cables of the several gripper element pairs connected therewith will be pulled rearwardly, to thereby cause simultaneous swinging movements of the gripper elements 22 and 28 one toward the other against the tension of their pull-springs 21. If desired the gripper elements may be equipped with cushioning sleeves 48, made of rubber or like comparatively soft material, around those portions thereof which engage a pin P in use.

The spotter carriage is mounted in any convenient manner for vertical up and down movements, when suitably operated. Initially said spotter carriage is positioned in uplifted position, and with its shutter plates II retracted to move their openings I5 out of register with the pin drop openings II, so that the latter are closed against downward movement of pins P therethrough, when the latter are deposited in the pockets I2. when the spotter carriage is loaded with a full complement of pins P ready to be set up on an alley served by the spotter carriage, the latter is caused to move downward toward the alley floor, to carry the pins thereto. When the spotter carriage is thus lowered, the shutter plates I4, through suitable control and operating agencies (not shown), are slid forward in the direction of the arrow :1: (see Fig. 1), thus moving their openings I5 into register with the pin drop openings II, whereupon the pins P, which are lodged bottoms downward in the pockets I2, will pass downward through the pin drop openings II, passages 28 and pin drop openings I9, and will be deposited on the alley floor in upstanding and accurately spotted positions read for play. The pins being thus initially set, the spotter carriage is caused to rise again, thereby exposing the set pins for play, and likewise the shutter plates I4 will again be retracted to move theiropenings I5 out of register with the pin drop openings II, thus again closing the bottoms of the pockets I2 ready for return of pins thereinto at proper times.

If after the first ball is bowled, and thereby some pins are knocked over and other pins left standing, the alley must be cleared of fallen pins or dead wood, leaving the standing pins for attack by a second bowled ball. To permit clearing away of the dead wood, the standing pins must be lifted out of the way, and after the alley is cleared, returned to standing position so as to occupy the some positions, either remain in closed relation to the pin drop openings ll. As the spotter carriage thus-descends, the pin drop openings I! of itsbottom plate being open, the heads or tops of the standing pins.

will enter therethrough and throughthe passages fl until downward movement of the spotter carriage is arrested by abutment of the pin heads or tops against the shutter plates N which close the pin drop openings II. The pins are thus iirmly held by the pressure of the spotter carriage against movement or shift from such positions which, at the time, they occupy. This arrest of downward movement of the spotter carriage ma be utilized, throughsuitable control and operating agencies (not shown), to set in motion the slide-bars 3|, which thereupon are moved rearwardly in the direction of the arrow 1! I (see Figs-l and 3). The rearward movement of the slide-bars 3| exerts a drag upon the pull cords or cables controlling the ripper element pairs, thereby swinging the gripper elements 22 and 23 one toward the other, against the tension of their pull springs 21. Such pull upon.

the cords or cables operates to elongate the end courses I! and 3! thereof and shorten the intermediate course 38, so that the gripper elements are caused, perforce, to swing one toward the other (see Figs. 5 and 6). If the head of a standing pin P has been entered through the adjacent pin drop opening I! so as to lie between the gripper elements 22 and 23, the latter will be caused to move respectively into engagement with opposite sides of the neck of said pin, 1. e. in engagement with a reduced portion thereof below its enlarged top or head end, and will be held in such engagement so as to grip the pin for, lifting. The standing pins being thus operatively engaged by the corresponding gripper elements, the spotter carriage is again caused to rise, thereby lifting said standing pins clear of the alley floor while dead wood is being cleared away, after which the carriage is again lowered to reset said standing pins. When the standing pins are thus reset upon the alley floor, the slidebars 3| are released for return or are positively returned to normal initial positions, so that the pull cords or cables are relaxed to permit the pull springs 21 to swing back the gripper elements to normal initial open condition, thus disengaging the standing pins, whereupon the spotter carriage is finally raised to uplifted position exposing said standing pins for attack by a second bowled ball, and the mechanism is thus returned to normal initial condition ready for repetition of the initial pin setting and subsequent operations.

It will be obvious that the relation of the pull cord or cable to the gripper element pairs is such that said gripper elements, although both are moved one toward the other, are nevertheless capable of independent swinging movement, whereby their conjoint operation relative to a standing pin to be engaged and gripped thereby is self-adjusting to the pin position, whatever the latter may be, that is whether standing in accurate spotted position or shifted and oflset from such position. For example, as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, the standing pin P has been shifted from its initial spotted position, and

is somewhat offset from initial alignment with the pin drop opening ll. Notwithstanding this said standing pin P will be engaged by the gripper elements 22-23 without disturbing such oliset position thereof, and will be lifted and subsequently returned to the same offset position, as is desirable for reasons already above given. In

' automatically adjusting themselves to the oflset pin P, when the gripper elements 22 and 23 are swung by the pull of the cord or cable, they will start to move together, but the gripper element nearest to the pin will engage it first, as shown e. g. the gripper element 28 first contacts the pin, and its motion will be arrested by abutment thereupon, whereupon the ripper element 12,

under continued pull of the cord or cable, which continues to run relative to the arrested gripper element 23, exerts its -gripper element swinging eifect solely upon the gripper element 12, so that theme continues to move until it too abuts the op te side' of the pin P. It will therefore be understood that the gripper elements will automatically adjust themselves to the pin P no matter what its position may be, and will remain in such self-adjusted gripping relation to the pin P until released by relaxation of the pull cord or cable.-

Having now described our invention, we claim 1. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pinsetting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, self-adjusting standing pin picker devices mounted on'the underside of said carriage relative to the lower open end of each pin drop passage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other across the lower open end of an adjacent pin drop passage, pull cable means anchored to the carriage, said cable means being arranged to extend forwardly to.

and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest 'removed'from the anchored point of said cable means and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion. and gripper element actuating means to which the ongoing pull cable means is attached.

2. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pin setting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and 'close the upper ends of the latter, self adjusting standing pin picker devices mounted on the underside of said.

carriage relative to the lower open end of each pin drop passage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing,

toward and from each other across the lower open end of an adjacent pin drop passage, pull cable means anchored to the carriage, said cable means being arranged to extend forwardly'to and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from the anchored point of said cable means and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion, and cable actuating slide bar means mounted on said carriage to which the ongoing pull cable means is attached.

3. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pin setting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, self adjusting standing pin picker devices mounted on the underside of said carriage relative to the lower open end of each pin drop passage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other across the lower open end of an adiacent pin pauage, spring ineans to yieldably hold said gripper elements in normal initial positions astride the lower end of an adjacent pin drop passage, means to support the free end portions of said gripper elements including means to stop the same in the aforesaid initial positions, a pull cable anchored to the carriage, said cable being arranged to extend forwardly to and slidlngly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from its anchored end and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion, and gripper element actuating means to which the ongoing end portio of said pull cable is attached.

4. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pin setting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, self adjusting standing pin picker devices mounted on the underside of said carriage relative to the lower open end of each pin drop passage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other across the lower open end of an adjacent pin drop passage, spring means to yieldably hold said gripper elements in normal initial positions astride the lower end of 'an adjacent pin drop passage, means to support the free end portions of said gripper elements including means to stop the same in the aforesaid initial positions, a pull cable anchored to the carriage, said cable being arranged to extend forwardly to and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from its anchored end and thence back to and slidingly through the other pper element free end portion, and cable actuating slide bar means mounted on said carriage to which the ongoing end portion of said pull cable is attached.

5. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pin setting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, self adjusting standing pin picker devices mounted on the underside of said carriage relative to the lower open end of each 'pin drop passage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other across the lower open end of an adjacent pin drop passage, the means for pivoting said gripper elements comprising a fulcrum link pivoted on the carriage, a cross link pivoted on the free end of said fulcrum link, rear ends of said respective gripper elements being respectively pivoted to the free ends of said cross link, spring means to yieldably hold said gripper elements in normal initial positions astride the lower end of an adjacent pin drop passage, means to support the free end portions of said gripper elements including means to stopthe same in the aforesaid initial positions, a pull cable anchored to the carriage, said cable being arranged to extend forwardly to and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from its anchored end and thence back to and slldingly through the other gripper element free end portion, and gripper element actuated means to which the ongoing end portion of said pull cable is attached.

5. In combination with a pin setter carriage of pin setting apparatus provided with pin drop passages and means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, self adiusting standing pin picker devices mounted on the imderslde of said carriage relative to the lower open end of pindroppasssgeeschpicker device comprising apairofglipncrelementspivotedforswingcowardandfromeachotheracrosstheloweropen endoianadiacentmndroppasssgathemeans for pivoting said grime!- elements comprking a free end portion, and cable actuating slide barv means mounted on said carriage to which the ongoing end portion of said pull cable is attached. 7. In pin setting apparatus, the combination with a vertically recipmcable pin setter can'lage having pin drop passages of means to open and close the upper ends of the latter, and standing pin picker devices mounted on the imderside of said carriage, said picker devices being actuatable to engage the heads of standing pins when the carriage is lowered to enter them in the lower open end portions of said pin drop passages until downward movement of the carriage is arrested by abutment of the closed upper ends of said passages upon the thus entered pin heads, whereby the engaged standing pins may be gripp raised and lowered relative to the alley floor by subseduent upward and downward movements of said carriage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other acres the lower end of an adjacent pin drop pull cable means anchored to the carriage, said cable means being arranged to extend forwardly to and slidlngiy through the free end portion of the gri p r element fartherest removed from the anchored point of said cable means and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion, and cable actuating slide bar means mo'lmted on said carriage to which the ongoing free end portion of said cable is afllxed.

8. In pin setting apparatus, the combination with vertically reclprocable pin setter carriage mm of havingplndroppassagesofmeanstoopen and close the'upper ends of thelatter, and standin pin picker devices mounted on the imderside of said carri said picker devices being actuatable toengl ctheheadsoistandingpinswhenthe carrlageisloweredto entertheminthe lower openendportions ofsaidplndroppassagesuntil downward movement ofthecarriageis an'ested byabuhnentoffliecloaedupperendsofsaid upontheihusenteredpinheadawhereby the engaged standing pins may he gripped.

raisedandloweredrelativetotheallcyfloorhy suhsequentupwardand downward movements of saidcarrlagaeachpickertkvicecomprislnga pairoi s pper elements pivoted'forswlngtoward andfromeachotheracrossthelowerendofan adjacent pin droppossage, pull cable means anchoredtotheearrlagasaidcahlemeansbeing arranged to extend forwardly to and slidlngly throughthefreeendportionofthe grlpperelement fartherest removedfmmtheanchored point saidcablemeansandthenoebacktoandslidwith a vertically reciprocable pin setter carriage having pin drop passages of means to open and close the upper ends. of the latter, and standing pin picker devices mounted on the underside of said carriage, said picker devices being actuatableto engage the heads of standing pins when the arriage is lowered to enter them in the lower open end portions of said pin drop passages until downward movement of the carriage is arrested by abutment of the closed upperends of said passages upon the thus entered pin heads, whereby the engaged standing pins may be gripped,

raised and lowered relative to the alley floor by subsequent upward and downward movements of said carriage, each picker device comprising a.

pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other acrossthe lower end of an adjacent pin drop passage, pull cable means anchored to the carriage, said cable means being arranged to extend forwardly to and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from the anchored point of said cable means and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion, cable actuating slide bar means mounted on said carriage to whichthe ongoing free end portion ofsaid cable is amxed, spring means to yieldably hold said gripper elements in normal initial positions astride the lower end of the adjacent pin drop passage, and means to support the free end portions of said gripper elements. including means to stop the initial positions.

10. In pin setting apparatus, the combination with a vertically reciprocable pin setter carriage having pin drop passages of means to open and close the upper ends' of the latter,'and standing pin. picker devices mounted on the underside of said carriage, said picker devices being actuatablc 'to engage the heads of standing pins when the carriage is lowered to enter them in the lower open end portions of said pin drop passages until downward movement of the carriage is arrested by abutment of the closed upper ends of said passages upon the thus entered pin heads, whereby the engaged standing pins may be gripped, raised and lowered relative to the alley iioor by subsequent upward and downward movements of said carriage, each picker device comprising a pair of gripper elements pivoted for swing toward and from each other across the lower end of an adjacent pin drop passage, the means for pivoting said gripper elements comprising a fulcrum link pivoted on the carriage, a cross link pivoted on the free end of said fulcrum link, rear ends of said respective ripper elements being respectively pivoted to the free ends 01' said cross link, spring means to yieldably hold said gripper elements in normal initial positions astride the lower end of an adjacent pin drop passage, means to support the free end portions of said gripper elements including means to stop the same in the aforesaid initial positions, a pull cable anchored to the carriage, said cable being arranged to extend forsame in the aforesaid 40 wardly to and slidingly through the free end portion of the gripper element fartherest removed from its anchored end and thence back to and slidingly through the other gripper element free end portion, and cable actuating slide bar means mounted on said carriage to which the ongoing end portion of said pull cable is attached.

JOSEPH PARRA. 

